A few iPhone patents for you: Karaoke, fancy haptic feedback

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Oh, patents. Companies file you all the time, often coming to nothing, yet you still mystify us for some reason. A few iPhone-related patents have been floating around the Internet this morning; they’re sure to interest you for dozens of seconds. Take this one, which describes a karaoke application.

But that’s merely a game, and a dumb one at that. These two, however, describe something a little more “important.” There’s fingerprint identification, which would identify your fingers individually for a more accurate user interface experience. That is, only your index finger would be able to press the “contacts” app; if you accidently touch it with your middle finger the app wouldn’t activate. That type of thing.

Then there’s an improved version of haptic feedback. Apple would slap a bunch of actuators across the iPhone’s screen. Then, as you slide your finger around the screen, you’d be able to “feel” the different area of the screen. The top half is more bumpy, while the bottom half smooth as silk.

But again, patents are filed all the time. I wouldn’t lose sleep over any of this.